It takes time to contact and build shipper relationships. Once you get a foot in the door, it is important to build on that relationship. Most shippers with whom I talk prefer doing business directly with a carrier. If you find a shipper who is willing to work with you, then you could find that you will be able to maintain that relationship even if they are currently doing most of their business through one or more brokers. I find that some shippers feel that brokers with whom they deal are ripping them and carriers off. If a broker asks you to not discuss the rate you get from them, there is a good chance the broker is ripping you off and keeping a much larger share of the revenue than he really should. He doesn't want the shipper to know how much money he is making. Most business is about relationships. A lower price may sway some, but if there is a strong personal relationship and shippers know they can rely on you then they may stay with you even though a broker promises a cheaper price.
I had a shipper to stay with me because they found that a broker with whom they dealt was taking 30% or more of the rate. The only way they would do business with that broker is if they had a shipment that absolutely had to move and I or another carrier couldn't move it for them. Most of the time the shipper would put off the receiver until I could take the load. I usually got $2.50-3.00 mile to haul for this shipper. I had a broker offer me a similar load for $1.50 coming out of the same area.
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